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DX Lab - State Library of NSW. Flora Graeca: “The Most Costly and Beautiful Book Devoted to Any Flora” Title page.

Flora Graeca: “The Most Costly and Beautiful Book Devoted to Any Flora”

Sibthorp, John. Flora Graeca. v. 1 (1806). Contributed in BHL from Lloyd Library and Museum. Digitized by Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. John Sibthorp’s Flora Graeca (1806-1840) has been described as “the most costly and beautiful book devoted to any flora” [1]. Flora Graeca arose out of botanical expeditions carried out by English botanist John Sibthorp in Greece and Asia Minor between 1786-87 and 1794-1795.

Plate 473. Plate 606. Unfortunately, Sibthrop contracted tuberculosis during the return from his second expedition. Sibthorp’s friend and fellow botanist, James Edward Smith, and Sibthorp’s brother-in-law, John Hawkins, oversaw the publication of the first six volumes between 1806-1828. Plate 334. Plate 202. The Lloyd Library and Museum is fortunate to own one of the 25 complete copies of the first edition of this title. Plate 952. Plate 504. Plate 736. Plate 824. Plate 163. . [1] Stearn, W. Oh and an explosion of pollen diversity. Again Franz Bauer @NHM_Library @NHM_Botany. Sibthorp-Bauer Expedition. Scientific research into Ferdinand Bauer's botanical masterpieces.

Some of the finest botanical and zoological paintings in the world are going on display at the Weston Library.

Scientific research into Ferdinand Bauer's botanical masterpieces

Painting by numbers, a new display running from 29 April to 9 July, brings together beautiful watercolours and field sketches by the celebrated central European botanical artist, Ferdinand Bauer (1760-1826), including incredible paintings of marine animals which have never been displayed before. The display focuses on Bauer's ground-breaking two-year expedition to the eastern Mediterranean with John Sibthorp (1758-96), Sherardian Professor of Botany at Oxford, and the current research by the Bodleian Libraries Heritage Science team to unravel Bauer's painting by numbers system.

The numerical notes on Bauer's botanical sketches indicate that he assigned different colours different numbers, and marked these numbers on his sketches, so when he later turned these into more detailed watercolours, he would know which colour to use where. Ferdinand Bauer: Painting by Numbers. Explore Ferdinand Bauer's stunning scientific illustrations. Ferdinand Bauer is regarded as one of the world’s greatest natural history painters.

Explore Ferdinand Bauer's stunning scientific illustrations

A large collection of his work has been brought together for the first time, allowing the world to examine it close up. Born in Feldsberg, Austria, on 20 January 1760, Bauer was to lead a life of travel and adventure as a natural history artist. His work blends beauty with scientific precision, showing incredible attention to detail and a near obsession with colour. His story is not widely known, but his legacy is important to natural history scholars all over the globe. The painter went to extreme lengths to recreate the true colour of specimens, which he noticed begins to fade soon after animals and plants die.

Rather than hurry his work or rely on memory, Bauer developed a colour referencing system in which he assigned each shade a four-digit number and meticulously recorded the various codes for each specimen. Bauer could then complete full watercolour paintings at a later date. By Katie Pavid. Ferdinand Bauer, et al: Historia naturalis palmarum. Ferdinand Bauer: Illustrationes florae novae hollandiae. Ferdinand Bauer: Flora Graeca. Download BibTeX citations.

Ferdinand Bauer: Flora Graeca

Franz Bauer conservation research. 16 September 2014 A conservation research team at the Bodleian Libraries are about to embark on a scientific study using a state-of-the-art imaging tool to decipher the early 'painting by numbers' system used by the Austrian botanical illustrator Ferdinand Bauer (1760–1826).

Franz Bauer conservation research

The Bodleian's research team will use advanced hyperspectral imaging technology, initially developed by astrophysicists to study the colour of stars, to analyse material in the Libraries' unique collections. In particular, the new instrument, funded by the University of Oxford Fell Fund, will allow the researchers to identify previously unidentified pigments in Bauer's paintings and uncover minute details of his illustration techniques that are currently invisible to the naked eye.

Through funding from the Leverhulme Trust, a researcher based in the Bodleian will spend the next three years investigating Bauer's work. Bauer Brothers: NHM Images. The Bauer brothers collection. Franz (1758–1840) and Ferdinand (1760–1826) Bauer excelled in learning the principles of botanical illustration according to the Linnaean system of classification.

The Bauer brothers collection

This technique typically depicts the entire plant in flower, but separately represents the bud and fruit, often dissected to show the internal structure. Franz and Ferdinand Bauer were born in Feldsberg, Austria, now Valtice in Czech Republic. Their father Lucas Bauer was court painter to the Princes of Liechtenstein but he died two years after Ferdinand's birth, leaving behind a widow and seven infant children.

The brothers' early artistic training was undertaken by the anatomist and botanist Dr Norbert Boccius. He tended to Feldsberg monastery's medicinal garden, where he taught the brothers how to produce accurate drawings of plants. While Franz and Ferdinand had strikingly similar artistic styles, the progression of their careers could not have been more different.